Find out how popular the last name Duff is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Duff.

Duff, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Duff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Duff in America

Duff is the 2202nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Duff surname appeared 16,536 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Duff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Duff to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Duff

The surname Duff is of Scottish origin, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic term "dubh," meaning "black" or "dark-haired." This name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone with dark features.

Historically, the Duff name is associated with the Clan Duff, a Scottish clan from the northeastern regions of Banffshire and Moray. The earliest documented reference to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Duff name was Sir Michael Duff, who lived in the late 13th century and was a prominent figure in the Scottish Wars of Independence. Another notable early Duff was Andrew Duff, a prominent clergyman born in 1550 who served as the Bishop of Galloway.

The Duff surname has also been linked to various place names in Scotland, such as Dufftown in Banffshire and Duffus in Moray. These locations may have influenced the spelling variations of the name over time, including Duffe, Duffis, and Duffus.

In the 15th century, the Duff family rose to prominence with the establishment of the Earldom of Fife. One of the most renowned members of the family was William Duff, who was born in 1696 and became the first Earl of Fife. He played a significant role in the Jacobite Risings and was a loyal supporter of the House of Hanover.

Another notable Duff was James Duff, born in 1776, a Scottish writer and philosopher who was influential in the Scottish Enlightenment. He is best known for his work "Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man."

Moving forward to the 19th century, we find William Duff, born in 1788, a Scottish missionary who played a vital role in the spread of Christianity in India. He founded the Church of Scotland's mission in Calcutta and was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions.

In the 20th century, Alistair Duff, born in 1915, was a notable British actor who had a successful career on stage and screen, appearing in numerous films and television shows.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Duff, highlighting its rich Scottish heritage and the diverse contributions of those who carry this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Duff

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Duff.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Duff was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Duff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Duff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Duff, please contact us.

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